Huge Norwegian Forest Cat the size of a large Maine Coon

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On average, the Norwegian Forest Cat (NFC) is smaller than the Maine Coon but there are exceptions and this is one of them. Not all MCs are larger than NFCs. This TikTok video illustrates the point. This NFC is very classic in terms of 'type' meaning desired appearance as per the breed standard. Super appearance. Huge Norwegian Forest Cat the size of a large Maine Coon. Image: MikeB from screenshots. Here is the video. For me it is a bit irritating because of the soundtrack. Horrible for me. But the point is made about size. This is a great NFC. A classic in terms of coat: a grey tabby-and-white. It is his size which is untypical for this breed although they are one of the largest domestic cat breeds challenging the supremacy of the Maine Coon sometimes .
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Norwegian Forest Cat Adoption

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Norwegian forest cat adoption will nearly always be through a cat breeder. Occasionally there are rescue purebred cats at "ordinary" rescue centers but these are rare. A classic example is the story of the RagaMuffin cat and the princess. There is a list of purebred cat rescue centers on this page.

NFC - photo by Helmi Flick.

It is easy enough to find Norwegian Forest Cat breeders. Just search in Google or go to one of the major NFC cat clubs. Another option is the Cat Fanciers Association's breeders list. This, of course, applies to USA citizens.

Here are a couple of links:
  • CFA Breeder search - this page is hard to find. I wonder if the CFA have done that deliberately? Not sure but it is useful for Americans searching for breeders. They have just 9 breeders listed at July 2010. The CFA do not vouch for the quality of the listed breeders. This actually surprises me. If they can't check on them who can?
  • Norwegian Forest Cat Club - this is a UK club. They have a long list of breeders on this page.
You invariably get some individual breeders that feature very well in a Google search. These NFC breeders usually have good websites and have been around for some time. These breeders should be selected initially if they are in a convenient location.

The greatest problem in Norwegian Forest Cat adoption is finding a breeder who is good. How are people to differentiate between the good and bad? Of course most will be at least satisfactory but we don't know them and we want to avoid the bad ones.

This is a problem that I discuss in relation to the Maine Coon cat on this page: Maine Coon Cat Breeders. All, or nearly all, the purebred cats will have a propensity towards a genetic disease or two (or more). It is the nature of cat breeding for appearance.

As we are not to know the good from the bad or middling, we need to at least be armed with information about the breed and possible genetic defects. We can then ask questions and make a judgment about the breeder on the basis of the answers.

Here is a link to a long list of genetic diseases in purebred cats. As it happens the leading book (in my opinion) on genetic diseases in purebred cats states that the Norwegian Forest Cat is relatively new in the USA and "not many common medical problems are known". Dr. Clark DVM states that "a few instances of flattened chests, pectus excavatum have been reported". Flat chests are known to occur in dwarf cats (dwarf cat health issues).

On this site I have listed the common health issues associated with this breed. These should be noted in Norwegian Forest Cat adoption.

If I was adopting a Norwegian Forest Cat I would:
  1. visit the cattery (Helmi Flick a fine cat breeder firmly recommends this and in any case it is commonsense. If buying at a distance a veterinarian independent of the breeder should be instructed to do a health check;
  2. ask questions about breeding principles;
  3. ask questions about inbreeding;
  4. ask questions about the health issues referred to
  5. seek references from other buyers;
  6. have an independent veterinarian (or your veterinarian) do a health check on the selected cat;
  7. reject any cat that has any sign of health issues such as a URI (upper respiratory infection);
  8. reject the breeder is they make excuses about any signs of ill health;
  9. be nice but firm and don't be afraid of walking away. Remember this is a purchase for the life of the cat. It is a big commitment;
  10. read the contract completely before buying. Get the contract sent to you before visiting;
  11. don't send money upfront, ever;
  12. deal with the breeder in person;
A bit about character and skills. The NFC is known to be a very adept climber. I have lived with a NFC mix and she was a staggeringly good climber. That means they need something to climb. As a lot of cats in the USA are full-time indoor cats. That means some good cat furniture is required. For me a cat enclosure with trees must be the ideal.

If it all goes wrong: How to Sue on a Cat Contract!

From Norwegian Forest Cat adoption to Siberian cat (a cat with a similar appearance and origin).

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